JAKARTA: Lawmakers have called on the government to step up efforts to secure the safe release of four Indonesian seafarers who have been held by Somali pirates for the past two weeks.
Yudha Novanza Utama, a member of House of Representatives Commission I overseeing defence, said that while the Foreign Ministry is coordinating with multiple parties in Somalia, including local authorities and community leaders, to secure the release of the kidnapped Indonesian seafarers, the situation requires a more comprehensive and calibrated escalation of efforts.
“Diplomatic efforts must be maximized, not only through bilateral channels with Somali authorities but also through international cooperation, considering this is a transnational organized crime,” he said in a statement on Monday, as quoted by state news agency Antara.
He expressed deep concern over the fate of the four Indonesian citizens who remain in captivity. “The state must be fully present to ensure the safety of all citizens in emergency situations like this,” he added.
Yudha said the incident was not an isolated case, but part of a recurring pattern in global maritime security, particularly in the Horn of Africa, which has long been identified as a piracy-prone region.
He added that shifting geopolitical dynamics have also contributed to the resurgence of piracy, particularly when international attention and naval patrols are diverted to other hotspots such as the Middle East and the Red Sea amid the ongoing war between the United States, Israel and Iran.
“We are seeing gaps in the global maritime security system when international focus becomes fragmented. This situation is being exploited by pirate groups that have long operated through organized patterns and networks,” he said.
Yudha urged the government not to focus solely on short-term hostage recovery efforts, but also to strengthen long-term protections for Indonesian seafarers, including enhanced safety standards for vessels operating in high-risk waters.
Another member of House Commission I, Syamsu Rizal, urged the government to pursue a comprehensive diplomatic effort to secure the release of the hostages, including engagement with non-state actors where necessary.
“We are monitoring this case closely, and I am communicating directly with the Director for Citizen Protection and the Foreign Minister. We will urge the government to pursue all possible avenues through diplomatic channels, including engagement with non-state actors, and we hope that the kidnapped Indonesian seafarers can be released soon,” he said, as quoted by Tribunnews.com.
The tanker MT Honour 25, along with its crew, was reportedly seized by Somali pirates while carrying fuel from Oman to Somalia on April 21.
The Palau-flagged vessel carries 17 seafarers in total, including four Indonesian nationals: Ashari Samadikun, the captain from South Suawesi, Adi Faizal, Second Officer from South Sulawesi, Wahudinanto, Chief Officer from Central Java and Fiki Mutakin from West Java.
The remaining crew members consist of 11 Pakistani nationals, one Sri Lankan national and one Indian national. This is not the first case of Indonesian seafarers being taken hostage by Somali pirates.
In 2012, the Taiwanese-flagged fishing vessel FV Naham, carrying 26 crew members including five Indonesians, was hijacked off the coast of Somalia.
Four years later, four Indonesian crew members were released after the shipping company reportedly paid a ransom, while one Indonesian seafarer died due to illness while in captivity.
Another major incident occurred in 2011, when the cargo ship MV Sinar Kudus was seized by Somali pirates. The vessel was Indonesian-flagged and carried 20 Indonesian crew members. In that incident, the Indonesian military was deployed in the country’s first overseas hostage rescue operation.
The mission successfully freed all crew members without casualties after a 1.5-month standoff. Piracy in waters off Somalia, which had largely declined three years ago after peaking between 2007 and 2012, has re-emerged in recent months as a renewed maritime security concern.
According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), at least four vessels have been targeted in suspected piracy incidents within the past weeks, including a fishing vessel and the tanker MT Honour 25.
Director for Citizen Protection at the Foreign Ministry, Heni Hamidah, said Indonesian authorities are maintaining intensive communication with Somali authorities to secure the release of Indonesian seafarers abducted by Somali pirates.
“Current efforts are focused on engagement with local authorities, community leaders, and shipping companies, while prioritizing the safety of Indonesian citizens. So far, the Indonesian crew members are reported to be in good condition,” she said.
Heni also said that no ransom demands have been disclosed at this stage, as the case remains under active handling by the relevant authorities.
She added that the government is strengthening its database of Indonesian seafarers working abroad, optimising bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms and intensifying efforts to curb irregular migrant worker placements to prevent similar incidents in the future. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
